WILLEMSTAD — Dissatisfied employees from government service Public Affairs (Kranshi) marched to Fort Amsterdam this morning to demand a meeting with Minister Carlos Monk (Administration, Planning and Service, PS). Since yesterday, the personnel refuse to work under head of department Harold Daal. One of the employees is not pleased with how Daal treats his subordinates.Monk requested the employees to resume their work and grant the government the necessary time to settle this matter. Trade union Abvo assisted the Kranshi-employees at Fòrti. Monk and Premier Gerrit Schotte spoke to the employees and trade union.

Due to the employee’s protest, Kranshi had been unable to offer all of its services and products. However, Kranshi functioned normally this morning because two employees recently on sick leave had returned to work. On being asked, Daal said Kranshi would do its utmost to offer the normal service under the current circumstances. The fifteen or so (of the forty) protesting Kranshi-employees assembled at the Abvo trade union building in Brievengat early this morning. As Daal and the employees had not heard officially from Monk as yet, the protesting employees decided to march to the seat of government.

There was unrest at Kranshi since Monday when Daal was to resume his tasks as head of the department, but he arrived on Tuesday owning to circumstances. Nevertheless, he had dropped by at the Kranshi building in Otrobanda. The strangest stories are circulating since this brief visit yesterday. For instance, people say Daal had entered the building with two or three bodyguards. However, Daal denies this fervently. I was with a friend who happens to be a weight lifter. I asked him to accompany me. Now I hear two or three bodyguard accompanied me. These stories are untrue and I don’t know who concocted such.”

Blown out of proportion

Daal is also not pleased with statements from Abvo that mention incidents, whereby he had lashed out at subordinates and not apologized. “I suggest Abvo lists these incidents. These matters are blown out of proportion. From my side there was a possible difference of opinion and raising my voice. These matters were settled long ago. But why are theses matters raised now?” he wonders. Daal had recently won a lawsuit against the government, after the latter attempted to remove him from the command of Kranshi, and resumed his duty at the government service yesterday.

According to PAR State member Magali Jacoba, it’s time that Premier Gerrit Schotte (MFK) assumes his responsibility for the developments at Kranshi. She wonders how it’s possible that the judicial decisions are no longer respected on Curaçao. She refers to how the government handled the judgments in the case of Edsel Gumbs (Intelligence Service Curaçao), Desi Lai-Promes (Registry), the former Aqualectra-directors and now Harold Daal (Kranshi).

Jacoba is enraged that Monk, the minister in question, does not assume his responsibility in this matter and that a political leader from the coalition publicly indicates to assure that the judicial decision in the case of Daal will not be executed. According to Jacoba, Curaçao is becoming a banana republic and Schotte is to assume his responsibility.